This coming Sunday marks the 15th Anniversary of the “9-11 Attacks.”
The youngest of us who remember that day are now of voting age, having lived their whole lives in a world where the threat of Terrorism is real and present; no longer distant and theoretical, as many of us thought it to be before that sunny Tuesday morning in September.
We confront the legacy of 9-11 in our lives in many ways, every day. But, the attacks themselves are growing ever more distant with time. (I marvel that World War II, which seems like such ancient history to me, ended just 15 years before my birth.) 15 years can seem like an eon, yet simultaneously it can be as fresh and strong as if it was just yesterday…
I’ve been asking myself: “How do we remember what has been; while also being messengers of healing and growth for those still hurting from this (and other) such events?” Yet, we must also be sensitive to the fact that for many, dredging up these memories is intensely painful. Our remembrance must be respectful of the present and the past. It must be a time of healing, not a source of renewed pain.
For me, one way to do this was to compile a short video that is intended to remind us of the events of that day, and which reflects on how we remember what we remember. I will be showing this video following the church service I’ll be leading this Sunday, and afterwards we’ll have a time for remembering, sharing, and prayer.
There are no words in the video, just carefully selected music and images. This is deliberate – in part so that those who find the memories (that these images will recall) too powerful or painful can simply close their eyes. However, the larger reason is that human words are not adequate for expressing how many of us, including myself, still feel when reminded of the events of that day.
No matter whether you worship in a Church, a Synagogue, a Mosque or a Temple; please join me this coming Sunday morning: September 11th 2016, to remember, and to pray for those who are still hurting. Pray with me for the healing of all who have been wounded by hate or fear.
Our wounds and losses will never be forgotten, but we all believe in a Higher Power – whether that power is in the form of a deity, or simply the power of a people united for the common good. What is necessary is that we learn to believe and trust in each other, because only by trusting each other and working together will our world be freed from the losses and wounds that we inflict upon others out of our own fear and pain.
-Pastor Allen
Copyright (c) 2016, Allen Vander Meulen III, all rights reserved. I’m happy to share my writings with you, as long as proper credit for my authorship is given. (e.g., via a credit that gives my full name and/or provides a link back to this site – or just email me and ask!)
The Here and the Hereafter 